Toy glider



Aug. 30, 1938. H, JOHN ON 2,128,147

TOY GLiDER Filed Dec. 23, 1936 Patented Aug. 30, 1938 PATENT o F e 2,128,747; rov GLIDER v Edwin H. Johnson, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to Johnson T'ool & Engineering, Inc., Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 23, 1936, Serial No. 117,310

8 Claims.

This invention relates to toy gliders and the primary object is to provide a glider which will travel relatively long distances when it is forcibly ejected into the air to enter into a glide upon decrease of the momentum imparted thereto as a result of such forcible ejection thereof.

Another important object is to enable the air resistance of the glider to be substantially reduced during the forcible ejection thereof into the air whereby the glider may be ejected to comparatively great heights whereby the length of the resultant glide thereof may be materially prolon ed.

More specifically, the object of the invention is to fold the wings ofa glider into a retracted position during the forcible ejection thereof into the air and to automatically move the wings into operative position upon decrease to a predetermined minimum of the momentum imparted to the glider by reason of such forcible ejection thereof.

Still further objects of the invention are to hingedly mount the wings of a toy glider to enable folding thereof into a retracted position; to interconnect such hingedly mounted wings by contractiblemeans; to so arrange the contractible means that the hingedly mounted wings will be moved into operative position at a predetermined time in the flight of the glider; and to provide a novel glider of simple and economical construction and efficient and positive operation.

In the accompanying drawing wherein I have illustrated a selected embodiment of my invention Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing my glider in position to be forcibly ejected into the air;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of my glider;

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on the line 33 on Fig. '4;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan detail view showing one of the, wings of my novel glider in its retracted position. v

The form of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing includes an elongated flat strip 6, the outlines of which are shaped to conform to the outlines of an airplane fuselage and this strip will be referred to hereinafter as the fuselage of my glider. A thin strip I of somewhat triangular outline extends upwardly from the upper edge at the rear end'of the fuselage 6, said fuselage being recessed to receive the lower end of the strip 1 which may be glued or otherwise secured in said recess. The strip I serves as the rudder of my glider.

A slot 8 extends into the strip 6 from the rear simulating portion of the fuselage.

end thereof and a strip 9 is disposed in this slot to extend equidistantly on opposite sides of the fuselage, said strip being adhesively or otherwise. suitably secured against displacement from said slot. The outline of the strip 9 conforms to the tail pieces of an airplane, said strip 9 serving as the tail of my glider.

The forward end of the fuselage 6 is shaped to simulate the motor housing at the forward end of the fuselage of an airplane. A recess i0 is provided in the upper edge of the fuselage 6 immediately rearwardly of the motor housing A rabbeted block I! is provided which is coextensive with the recess l0 whereby the portions of the fuselage adjacent the recess It) may be extended into the groove in said block When said block is seated in said recess. The block is adhesively orotherwise suitably secured in this position on the fuselage and provides an anchorage for the Wings of my glider.

My glider includes two wings I 2 and I3. These Wings include inner sections IZA and HA and outer sections I 2B and I3B. The inner section 12A and the outer section IZB are hingedly interconnected along a line M extending diagonally across the wing and the inner section MA and the outer section I3B are similarly interconnected along a line l5. While the hinged interconnection of the sections of the wings along the lines l4 and I5 may be effected in a variety of ways, I have found it convenient to apply adhesive flexible strips 16 and E1 to the under sides of the sections of the wings and to extend these adhesive strips equidistantly on opposite sides of said lines i5 and M,

The inner edges of the sections 12A and ISA of the wings are abutted and rested upon the upper edge of the block II and are adhesively or otherwise suitably secured toeach other and the block. The angular inclination of the lines It and i5 is such that when the inner sections I2A and 13A are secured to the block H, the folding of the sections I23 and BB on the adhesive strips I6 and I1 results in disposing the sections MB and MB in substantially parallel relation with the fuselage 5. The sections IZB and I3B are to be folded into such parallel relation with the fuselage at the time my glider is to be forcibly ejected into the air whereby the air resistance of my glider is substantially reduced.

It is, of course, essential that the sections HE and I313 be moved from substantially parallel relation with the fuselage 6 and into the plane of the sections IZA and USA at the time my glider to the sections 123 and H3 in close proximity to the lines I4 and I5. Where a rubber band is employed it is convenient to slit the strips from which the sections 12B and, i 33 are formed and to extend the ends of the rubber band through these slits, it only being necessary to stretch the rubber band during passage thereof throughthe slits, which should be of less width than the rubber band, so that upon releasing of the ends of the band, which of course results in.

reduction of the tension, the effect is anchoring or the rubber bands in the slits.

In order to limit the action of-the rubber band or the like and to dispose the sections HE and BB in the planes of the sections HA and ISA, stops [8 and H! are secured to the upper sides of the sections IZA and l3A and these-stops extend across the lines I4 and IE to therebybe engaged by the upper sides of the sections IZB and I3B when these latter'sections are freed to the action of the rubber band 26. The stops l9" and I8 may conveniently be in the form of flat strips and they may be 'adhesively or otherwise secured to the upper sides of the inner sections l2A and 13A. By extending the stops :9 and 18 to the abutment of the sections |2A and I3A these stops afford a reinforcement for these sections. It is convenient to provide notches 2| and 22 at the free ends of the stops l9 and i8, respectively, into which the rubber band may pass when the sections i213 and NB are folded into substantially parallel relation with the fuselage 6 for so to do facilitates the action of the rubber band in moving the sections [2B and I3B into operative position in the planes of the sections I2A and I3A.

A weight in 'theiform of a metal strip 23 is clamped or otherwise suitably connected to the under side of the fuselage 6 near the front end thereof and this weight is provided with a hook 24 and is adapted to be engaged by the resilient member 25 of a sling shot including the handle 26. e

In use, the resilient member 25 of the sling shot is engaged with the hook 24 and the handle 25 of the sling shot is grasped in one hand. The fuselage of the glider is then grasped near the rear end thereof by the other hand and the sections 12B and I 33 which will have been previously folded into substantially parallel relation with the fuselage are held in this position by the fingers of the hand grasping the rear end of the fuselage. The glider and sling shot are illustrated in this position in Fig. 1. The resilient member of the sling shot is then tensioned and thereupon the glider is released with the result that it is forcibly ejected and propelled into the air. The momentum thus imparted to the glider will be s-ufficient fora time to establish enough air resistance to maintain the sections l2-B and I3B in their parallel relationship with the fuselage. However, as the glider loses momentum, the rubber band 20 will overcome the air resistance on the wings and will snap these sections into operative position whereupon the glider will pass into a glide and descend.

By reason of the fact that sections of the wings of my glider may be folded out of operative position during the forcible ejection of the glider into the air, it is possible to project my glider to comparatively great heights wherefore a relatively long gliding action ensues which greatly enhances the entertaining properties of the glider. My glider also possesses the advantages of rigidity and economy in construction and simplicity of operation.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred form of my 'invention,-it is to be understood that this is capable of variation and modi fication and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details but desire to avail myself of. such changes .and alterations 'a'safall within the purview of the following claims:

,I claim:

1,. In a toy glider, a fuselage having a tail and rudder structure at one end thereof, a pair of wings connected to said fuselage near the other end thereof, each of said wings comprising relatively movable. sections, one of the sections in each of said wings being fast to said fuselage and extending therefrom in a predetermined plane, and means for positioning the other section of eachof said wings during the gliding action of said glider in the plane of ,the section fast tothe fuselage.

2. In a toy glider, a fuselage having a tall and rudder structure at one end thereof, a pair of wings connected to said fuselage near the other end thereof, each of said wings comprising relatively movable sections, one of the sectionsin each of said wings being. fast to said fuselage and extending therefrom in a predetermined plane, means for urging the other section ofeach of said wings into the plane of the section fast to the fuselage, and means for positioning said other section of each of said wings in the plane of the section fast to the fuselage when said other sections are freed to the action of saidrurging means.

3. In a toy glider, a fuselage having a tail and rudder structure at the rear end thereof, a wing structure for said glider, said wing structure comprising a pair of inner sections and a pair of outer sections, each of said inner sections being fast to said fuselage near theforward end thereof and extending from said fuselage in a predetermined plane, and means for positioning said outer sections in the planes of the inner sections during the gliding action of said glider.

,4. In a toy glider, a fuselage having a tailand rudder structure at the rear end thereof, a wing structure for said glider, said wing structure comprising a pair of inner sections and a pair of outer sections, each of said inner sections being fast to said fuselage near the forward end thereof and extending from said fuselage in a predetermined plane, means connecting said outer sections to said inner sections whereby said outer sections may be moved relative to said inner sections, and means for positioning said outer sections in the planes of the inner sections during the gliding action of said glider.

5. In a toy glider, a fuselage having a tail and rudder structure at the rear end thereof, a wing structure for said glider, said wing structurecomprising a pair of inner sections and a pair of outer sections, each of said inner sections being fast to said fuselage near the forward end thereof and extending from said fuselage in a predetermined plane, means connecting said outer sections to said inner sections whereby said outer sections may be moved relative to said inner sections, resilient means acting on said ,outer sections, and means limiting the action 6. In a toy glider, a fuselage having a tail and ,rudder structure at the rear end thereof, a wing structure for said glider, said wing structure comprising a pair of inner sections and a pair of outer sections, each of said inner sections be ing fast to said fuselage near the forward end thereof and extending from said fuselage in a predetermined plane, means hingedly connecting the outer sections to said inner sections and positioned to permit said outer sections to be folded into substantially parallel relation with said fuselage, means for urging said outer sections out of parallel relation with said fuselage and into operative relation with said inner sections, and means for positioning said outer sections in the planes of said inner sections when said outer sections are freed to the action of said urging means.

'7. In a toy glider, a fuselage having a tail and rudder structure at the rear end thereof, a wing structure for said glider, said wing structure comprising a pair of inner sections and a pair of outer sections, each of said inner sections being fast to said fuselage near the forward end thereof and extending from said fuselage in a predetermined plane, means hingedly connecting the outer sections to said inner sections and positioned to permit said outer sections to be folded into substantially parallel relation with said fuselage, means for urging said outer sections out of parallel relation with said fuselage and into operative relation with said inner sections, and means for positioning said outer sections in the planes of said inner sections when said outer sections are freed to the action of said urging means, said last named means having notches at the free ends thereof into which said urging means pass when said outer sections are folded into substantially parallel relation with said fuselage.

8. In a toy glider, a fuselage having a tail and rudder structure at the rear end thereof, a wing structure for said glider, said wing structure comprising a pair of inner sections and a pair of outer sections, each of said inner sections being fast to said fuselage near the forward end thereof and extending from said fuselage in a predetermined plane, means hingedly connecting the outer sections to said inner sections and positioned to permit said outer sections to be folded into substantially parallel relation with said fuselage, means for urging said outer sections out of parallel relation with said fuselage and into operative relation with said inner sections, means for positioning said outer sections in the planes of said inner sections when said outer sections are freed to the action of said urging means, said last named means having notches at the free ends thereof into which said urging means pass when said outer sections are folded into substantially parallel relation with said fuselage, and anchor means to which the resilient member of a sling shot may be connected, said outer sections being folded into substantially parallel relation with said fuselage when said anchor means is engaged with the resilient member of the sling shot and the resilient member is tensioned whereby said outer sections will be maintained in such parallel relation when the glider is released from the tension resilient member of the sling shot to be forcibly ejected into the air, the urging means engaging said outer sections with the position ing means when the momentum imparted to said glider as a result of the ejection thereof into the air decreases to a predetermined minimum.

EDWIN H. JOHNSON. 

